Operating System - Overview

An Operating System (OS) is a computer user-hardware interface. An operating system is a software that performs all essential tasks such as file management, memory management, process management, input and output handling, and controlling peripheral devices such as disk drives and printers.

Definition

An operating system is a program that acts as the user-computer hardware interface and controls the execution of all kinds of programs.

Below are some of the Operating System's important functions.

*Memory Management

*Processor Management

*Device Management

*File Management

*Security

*Control over system performance

*Job accounting

*Error detecting aids

*Coordination between other software and users